Monolithic Frame-based Disk Arrays
Best Monolithic Frame-based Disk Arrays include:
HP StorageWorks XP P9500 and HP StorageWorks XP20000 (Discontinued).
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Learn More About Monolithic Frame-based Disk Arrays
What is a Monolithic Frame-Based Disk Array?
Monolithic frame-based disk arrays (Monolithic SANs) are data storage systems based on multiple disk drives that are fixed into the array frame. They efficiently distribute data across multiple drives. They are linked to multiple controllers using a great amount of cache memory.
These enormous amounts of cache memory are shared among any linked devices, providing greater storage capacity than modular arrays. This produces better data management and performance, as the more cache memory a device has, the faster and smoother it runs.
Disk arrays are comprised of controllers, cache memory, and a power supply. The arrays can be maintained without causing an outage. This ease of maintenance combined with built-in redundancy features promotes resilience and continuous data availability. Due to this design, monolithic storage failures are rare occurrences.
Using a centralized approach, frame-based arrays provide disk resources throughout your system architecture. These centralized data stores are used by a multitude of applications and hosts. Frame-based storage can support hundreds of servers.
Monolithic frame-based disk arrays offer better service and performance compared to modular SANs. These devices are appealing options for large database performance, disaster recovery needs and are consistently dependable over the long term. Depending on your requirements, these features will justify the higher cost when compared with modular arrays.
With the growth of cloud-based storage solutions, some vendors are moving away from large enterprise-scale storage solutions such as monolithic frame-based arrays over to modular SAN options which offer flexible scalability and lower entry costs.
Monolithic frame-based disk arrays overlap with Block Storage, Enterprise Flash Array Storage Solutions, Solid State Drives, Software-Defined Storage (SDS) Solutions, and Storage Area Network Solutions.
Monolithic Frame-Based Disk Array Features
Monolithic frame-based disk arrays will include these features.
- Multiple disk drives in an array frame
- Controllers
- Cache memory
- Redundancy
- Disk enclosure
- Power supply
- Array maintenance without outages
- Disk consolidation, centralized data stores
- Support block-based storage and structured data
- Support flash / solid-state drives (SSDs)
- Fibre Channel (FC) connectivity
Monolithic Frame-Based Disk Array Comparison
Monolithic SAN vs. Modular SAN: Your storage, application, and performance requirements will dictate your selection between these options. For enterprise-scale operations, a monolithic SAN provides consistently reliable high performance and availability and comes with a higher cost, greater implementation complexity, and administration overhead when compared with a modular SAN. For small to mid-size companies with less demanding requirements, a modular SAN offers a cost-effective, user-friendly, build-as-you-grow approach to your storage needs.
New vs. Refurbished Equipment: Budget-conscious and small to mid-sized businesses may wish to consider purchasing refurbished disk array equipment that offers reduced costs, warranties, and easy access to replacements.
Public Cloud-based Data Storage and Service Options: Depending upon your goals and IT strategy any planned move to the cloud for data storage and data services could eliminate the need for any on-premises data storage devices.
Pricing Information
Monolithic frame-based disk arrays are costly. Vendors will provide price quotes tailored to your specific needs.
Types of Disk Arrays
Since there are similarities between different types of disk arrays, here are some additional details to assist you in determining which one suits your needs.
- Storage Area Network (SAN) arrays (monolithic SAN, modular SAN)
- SAN is used for block-based storage and structured data
- Connects to servers using fibre channel (FC)
- Usually implemented for application and database servers that require predictable, low latency block I/O
- Network Attached Storage (NAS) arrays
- NAS is used for file storage and unstructured data
- Connects to servers using Ethernet
- Usually implemented for IP oriented application networks
- SAN/NAS Hybrid
- Protocols for block-based storage and file storage on the same system
- Storage Virtualization
This hardware consisting of hard disk drives (HDDs), or higher-performing flash arrays / solid-state drives (SSDs) can store petabytes (PB) of data under a central management system. Disk arrays scale block or file-based storage capacity. These storage arrays manage storage more efficiently than a group of servers.
The arrays can be comprised of all-flash / SSDs, HDDs, or a hybrid combination of the two. As HDDs are less costly, they can be cost-effective for less performance-sensitive data such as backups or archived data.
Disk arrays are key components of the business storage environment offering unique designs and capabilities to support enterprise, midrange, and small businesses. Enterprise-level storage arrays are configured to manage hundreds of servers, and massive amounts of data per second. Mid or low-storage arrays are scaled to support only a few servers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Popular monolithic frame-based disk array products include: